Ribbon winding and reversing mechanism.



W. J. BURGHETT.

RIBBON WINDING AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

. 2 SHBETS-1LHJ 1 W. J. BUEOHETT.

RIBBON WINDING AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.21, 1918.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES.

% ATTORNEY UNITE srTns PATENT orrion.

'WALTER J. BURCHETT, OF EAST ORANGE} NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ELLIS ADDING- V TYPEWBITER COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RIBBON WINDING- AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

im m.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 21, 1913. Serial No. 802,282.

acitizen ot' the United States, residing at East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ribbon \Vinding and Reversing Mechanism, of which the following IS a specification.

This invention relates to ribbon winding and reversing mechamsm.

The present invention is an improvement on the ribbon winding and reversing mechanism set forth in the patent to Halcolni Ellis, No. 1018176. February 20, 1912. The de is vice of the San Ellis Patent No. 1018176 contemplates the operation of the ribbon spools by clutching and unclutching them to spindles, both of which are constantly driven whether the spools be clutched or disconnect ed. In that mechanism the final unwinding of the ribbon trips the clutch controlling means and causes the previously unclutched ribbon spool to be clutched to its spindle.

The present invention has for its objects to dispense with the continuously driven spindles of the patented Ellis ribbon winding and reversing mechanism; to eliminate the clutch mechanism thereof; to simplify, make light and cheapen the construction and to render it more durable, less liable to derangen'ient, and to practically eliminate possibility of inoperativeness of the automatic reversing ofthe feed.

The-present invention, as with the Ellis ribbon winding'and reversing mechanism, has for its object the'prov-ision of operating and reversing mechanism contained within the ribbon cup, thereby adapting the invention to any typewriting, adding or other 40 printing machine employing a reversible ribbon.

In the present inventiom the mechanism for rotating the ribbon sp'ool is a loosely mounted pawl-and-ratchet wheel mechanism of improved construction located within the ribbon cup, being itself operated by such means as may be provided on the machine for actuation of ribbon mechanism. I thereby dispense with the rotary spindles employed in the patented Ellis construction and the necessity of providing driving gears therefor.

My invention also contemplates the provision of improved means operated by the swinging ribbon clamp on the ribbon spool for causing reversing, whereby the actuating pawl of the previously active ribbon spool is disengaged trom its ratchet wheel and the previously inactive pawl-and-ratchet wheel.

of the idle or unwinding ribbon spool is thrown into engagement to cause reversal of the feed.

An object of the invention being the ac complishment of reversal without the offering of appreciable resistance to operation of the keys 01" the typewriter, adding machine or other mechanism, I provide a novel dctent mechanism cooperating with the shift-- ing or reversing mechanism which insures the retention of the shifting or reversing mechanism wherever positioned and which permits shifting of such mechanism without appreciable resistance being manifested to the depression of any on the Y of the machine at the instant shifting and sail occurs. This detent mechanism enil a loosely mounted springn-essed dctentring and a pin or tooth and is so constructed and arranged that it practically impossible for the parts to get on a dead center and consetpiently, the action is both rapid, light and reliable.

An embodiment of the invention is set. forth hereinafter. but as I am aware that mcdititnitions may lie resorted to without changing any of the essential. features, con.- structions falling within the spirit oi the invention are to be considered as included within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Patented. Mar. 3, 1914.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the left-hand ribbon cup and its mechanism, the ratchet wheel and parts rotatable therewith, as also the ribbon spool and cover being removed, but the ratchet w iecl being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 9, a similar view ofthe right-hand ribbon cup and its mechanism; Fig. 3.21 verticalsection through the left-hand ribbon cup, the operating parts being in full lines and the ribbon spool being shown; Fig. l, a vertical section through the right-hand ribbon cup and the operating devices, the cover and ribbon spool being removed; Fig. 5, a detail plan view of the detent mechanism, dot-- tedand full lines representing the two positions of the parts; Fig. 5, a detail side .elcvation of the detent mechanism; Fig. 7. a dctail plan view of the IllOliZlilll iir'l rotai' Hg means for the ribbon spool; i, a vertisection thereof; Fig. 9, a plan view of the-left-hand ribbon-cup with the ribbon spool in position and-the upper flange therei of partly broken away; Fig. 10, a similar view of the right-hand ribbon spool and its cup, the ribbon clamp being shown drawn out by the tension of the ribbon as when the spool has unwound'and is ready to reverse Fig. 11,- .a detail plan. view of the ribbon spool; Fig. 12, a side elevation showing the machine frame in section and illustrating a means for operating the mechanisms of the ribbonspools. Fig. 13, a detail perspective of the ch'eck pawl and its spring; Fig. 14:, a similar View of the bell crank, the actuating pawl and its spring; and Fig. 15, a similar view of a reversing lever and shifting The ribbon cups 150 are duplicates and each isconsiderably deeper than the width of the ribbon spool and has its side slightly constricted to provide a ledge to support a cover-151 which is adapted to lie above the operating and reversing mechanism, said cover being circular and provided withan opening in its center for the accommodation of the hub of the ribbon spool turmng'device.

' after.

The ribbon cups I5 0 are each secured to the upper face of a hub 15%, forming part ofa bolt 144' whose lower end passes through the frame F of the machine to which the mechanism is applied'and is secured by a suitable nut. That part 'of the bolt 14.4

which projects upwardly within the ribbon cup serves as a spindle for the ribbon spool and its rotating device, described herein- Loose on the spindle 14A and resting on the bottom of cup 150 is a: hub 351. Se-

cured to this hub is a bell-crank 157, on one arm of which is a pin 157. -A lever 156 which is pivoted to this pin, receives an oscillating motion by the mechanism shown in Fig. 12, said mechanism consisting of a rocker 631 carried by a shaft 118 which extends across the machine, each lever 156 being operated by its own rocker 631 on shaft 118, so that the two levers 156 of the right and left-hand ribbon cups oscillate backward and forward in unison. suitable operating mechanism can be used to oscillate the shaft 118, one such mechanism being shown in Fig. 12 but forming no part of the p:- esent invention.

'tom of the cup 150, is pressed inwardly by a coil spring 186 surrounding this pivot. The pawls 711 and 721 have curved tails or To the short arm of the lever 159 is pivoted, at 162*, a bifurcated shifting dog 162 whose legs loosely straddle the hub 351 and whose movements are limitedtherebmthe dog being shiftable to a limited extent. spring 188 tends to keep the dog in the position shown in Fig. l, which is the normal position, as whenthe ribbon is unwinding from that cup, as" shown inF-ig-Q. The dog has an upright lug .163 and also a notch 164 which is adapted to receive the tooth 561 on the oscillating ribbon feed arm 156 when the ribbon has unwound and the dog 162 is moved .by the tension of the ribbon as y will presently appear.

The reversing lever has a vertical check pin 125 against which the curved tails of the pawls 711 and 721 bear, by which their location in feeding or non-feeding position is controlled, according as the reversing lever is in the position shown in Fig. l or that of Fig. 2. v

Referring to Figs. 2, 5 and 6, the shortarm of the reversing lever. has a pin or tooth 159". Secured to the ribbon cup by ascrew or fastening 1'1'3 is a spring arm 17 3 which has an upwardly bent thin, fiat part 173" whose upper end is widened into a retaining head. A ring or roller detent 361 loosely encircles the part 173 and is prevented from cally a knife edge) where. the edge of the part 173" bears against the inner face of the ring detent. impossible to get the parts on a dead center, as the detent 361 having circular'outer and inner faces, flops to the full line or dotted line position, Fig. 5, with the slightest pos- Consequently, it is practically sible vibration of the machine. In the ac- Referring to Figs. 4, 7 and 8,182 designates a hub, to the lower end of which is secured aratchct wheel I71. Extending through the hub and suitably secured thereto is a split sleeve I423. .The sleeve, hub and ratchet wheel are rotatable on the spindle M4, the lower face of the hub resting upon the upper face of hub 35I. A small cap screw I19 threaded into the upper end of spindle 1H, overlaps the upper edge of sleeve H3 and retains it on said spindle. A pin I26 carried by the hub I32, is adapted to enter a hole 168 in the ribbon spool. The ribbon spool is composed of two disks I68 marked Right and I69 marked Left connected by a cylindrical core I66 (Fig. The core I66 has a gap which is completed by a pivoted ribbon clamp or fastener I67, appearing in Figs. 3, 9 and 10, having a prong or point for the attachment of the ribbonI95. \Vhen winding on the spools, the ribbon draws the clamp or fastener I67 closed and winds around'it .(Fig. 9), but when the spool is entirely unwound, the tension of the ribbon I95 swings the clamp or fastener outward to the position shown in Fig. 10, which action is utilized to reverse the operating mechanism so that the ribbon will windon the previously unwound spool. I

Pivoted 01 a pin I65 carried by hub I32 is a ver cally disposed trip lever I65 (Figs. 4:, 7 ani which has a curved lower end I65 llie upper end of the lever I65 projects loosely through an opening 169 in one ofthe heads 168 or I69, as the case may be, and into the open part of the ribbon clamp or fastener I67 in position for engagement thereby.

When the ribbon is wound on the spool,'

as .in Fig. 9, it holds the fastener closed and the lower end I65 of the lever is then free from tooth or lug I63 on dog I62, and consequently, the dog I62 remains in the position shown in Fig. lby the action of spring I88 and is not in position for its notch I64 to receive the lug or tooth 561. The oscillation of the lever I56, therefore, has no effect on the dog I62 or the reversing mechanism of the ribbon cup, whose spool unwinding: nor is there any cooperation between the other lever I56 and the dog I62 and reversing mechanism of wound. conditions, the let-out r bbonspool 1s tree the spool on which the ribbon is being During the continuance of such from its pawls and turns idly, but the windup spool is turned. step by step, by the rocking of lever I 7, due to the action of lever I56 and the engagement of feed pawl 72I with ratchet wheel I71, whose reverse movement is checked by its check pawl. When the let-out ribbon spool has-completely unwound, the tension of ribbon I90 pulls the clamp I67 out, as shown in Fi 10, which then forces the trip lever I to the position shown in Fig. 4, and its curved lower end I65 comes into contact with the tooth or lug I63, forcing the dog 162 to the position shown in Fig. 2. When the dog is thus positioned, its notch 16 i is in line to receive the lug 561 on lever I56 and on the next oscillation of said lever, the dog I62 is forced back, rocking the reversing lever I59, whose point I59 then snaps past the detent 36L the lever I59 finally assuming the position correspondingto that shown in Fig. 1, with lugs 159 abutting the wall of the ribbon cup. This movement of the reversing lever of the cup having the unwound ribbon spool, causes the reversing shifted through the medium ofrod I and the previously idle actuating ratchet wheel of the unwound spool to-be engaged by its pawl because the shifting of lever I59 moves the pin 125 (Fig. 2) away from the curved tails of the pawls and allows their springs to press them into engagement with the ratchet wheel, ready to cause winding of the ribbon on the previously unwound spool. The previously wound spool now turns idly because the pawls of the actuating ratchet wheel thereof which were theretofore engaged with said ratchet wheel, are now freed therefrom by the engagement of the pin I25 of that mechanism with the tails of said pawls when the reversing lever of that mechanism is shifted. Thus, when one set of pawls is engaged with the ratchet wheel. of one ribbon cup, the set of pawls of the other cup is free from its ratchet wheel.

The detent mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 causes a reliable snap action when the mechanisms reverse and oilers such slight resistance that it is not noticeable in the key touch when reversal takes place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isz- 1. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with ribbon reels or spools, of independent rotating de-- vices therefor coupled to the said spools and mechanism, the combination with ribbon reels or spools, of independent rotating devices therefor coupled to the said spools and thereby adapted to turn with the spools whether the latter are reeling or unreeling the ribbon,-means for turning said rotating devices, coupled reversing levers, a shifting dog for each lever, said shifting dogs and levers controlling the cooperation of the turning means with the rotating devices aforesaid, means. operated by the ribbon, when unwound, adapted-to cooperate with the shifting dogs aforesaid to thereby control the cooperation of the reversing levers with the turning means aforesaid, whereby when the ribbon is unwound, the turning means shifts the dog and reversing lever of the unwound reel orspool'andcauses the turning means to cooperate with the rotating device of that reel or spool.

V 3. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with ribbon reels or spools, of independent ratchet wheels coupled to said spools and thereby adapted to turn with the spools whether the latter are reeling or unreeling the ribbon, an operating pawl for each of the ratchet wheels which is disengageable therefrom,independ-v cut, coupled reversing levers having means cooperating with the respective pawl, where by the pawl of one ratchet wheel is freed from said ratchet wheel when the pawl of the other ratchet wheel is engaged with its ratchet wheel, ribbon reel turning means for operating the pawls, and means operated by the ribbon, when unwound, adapted to eifect cooperation between the reversing levers and the ribbon reel turning means, whereby the ribbon reel turning means shifts the reversing levers to reverse the previously existing arrangement of the pawls.

a. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with ribbon reels or spools, of independent ratchet wheels coupled to said spools and thereby adapted to turn with the spools whether the latter are reeling or unreelingthe ribbon, an operating pawl for each of the ratchet wheels which is disengageable therefrom, a pawl operating device, independent, coupled reversing levers, shifting spring-actuated dogs pivoted to the respective reversing levers and adapted for engagement by the pawl vices therefor coupled to the said spools and thereby adapted to turn with the spools whether the latter are reeling or unreeling the ribbon, trip levers carried by the rotating devices, means operated by the ribbon when unwound, adapted to shift the trip lever of the unwound reel, means for turnving the rotating devices aforesaid, and reversing means positioned by the movement of the trip lever so as to be. adapted to cooperate with the turning means aforesaid,-

whereby the said reversing means is there' upon operated. 1

6. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with I ribbon reels or spools, of independent rotating de- 4 vices therefor coupled to the'saidspool's and thereby adapted to turn with the spools whether the latter are reeling or unreeling the ribbon,- trip levers carried by the rotatwhen unwound, adapted to shift the trip ing devices, means operated by the ribbon,.

lever of the unwound reel, means for turning the rotating devices aforesaid, reversing levers for the respective ribbon,re'el mechanisms, and shiftingspring actuated dogs pivoted to said reversing levers' and adapted, when moved by the trip levers aforesaid, to be positioned for engagement by the turning means aforesaid, whereby when the ribbon is unwound reversal of cooperation of the turning means with theretating devices is accomplished. i

7. In a ribbon winding and-reversing mechanism, the combination with ribbon reels or spools, ofindependent ratchet wheels coupled to said spools and thereby adapted to turn with the spools whether the latter are reeling or unreeling the ribbon, a

trip lever movable with each ratchet wheel, operating and check pawls for the respec' tive ratchet wheels, means for moving the operating pawls, reversing levers having means cooperating with both the check and operating pawls, a coupling connecting the reversing levers, spring-actuated shifting dogs vpivoted to the reversing levers and adapted to be engaged by the trip levers aforesaid and when so engaged to be arranged for cooperation with the pawl actuating means aforesaid, and means operated by the ribbon, when unwound, adapted to move the trip lever of the unwound reel, whereby when the ribbon unwinds, the shifting dog of the unwound reel is actuated the pawl operating means and the reversing levers are shifted to cause rewinding on the unwound reel.

8. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a shift able reversingmember having a point tooth, of a support, a spring-actuated cular detent loosely carried by said sup and adapted for bodily shifting thereon and cooperating with said point or tooth.

able reversing member having a point or tooth, of a spring-actuated bodily shiftable detent ring whose outer periphery bears against the tooth or point aforesaid and whose inner circular surface is loosely mounted on its spring-actuated support.

10. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a shiftable reversing member having a point or tooth, of a spring-actuated support having a relatively thin edge, and a detent ring whose inner circular surface bears loosely and sh'l'it'tably against the thin edge aforesaid and whose outer periphery, is engaged with the point or tooth of the reversing member.

11. In a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a shifta-ble reversing member having a point or tooth, of a spring arm, and an exteriorly circular detent having a loose shiftable connection with said arm, whereby it may shift in relation to the arm as well as move bodily with said arm, the periphery of said detent bearing against said point or tooth.

12. 111 a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a ratchet wheel for turning the ribbon reel "or spool, of an operating pawl therefor, pawl-operai ing means, a reversing lever, settable means --co(' perating with the reversing lever and the.

pmvloperating means, whereby the reversing lever may be shifted, and means for causing cooperation of the reversing lever with the pawl.

13. In a ribbon winding and reversing with the pawls.

mechanism, the combination with a. ratchet wheel for turning the ribbon reel or spool, of an operating pawl therefor and a check pawl for said ratehet wheel, pawl operating means, a reversing lever settable means cooperating with the reversing lever and the pawl-operating means, whereby the reversingl lever may be' shifted, and means for causing cooperation oi the reversing lever 14. In a ribbon winding. and reversing mechanism, the combination with a ratchet wheel for turning the ribbon reel or spool, of an actuating pawl therefor, pawl-operating means, a reversing lever, a spring-actuated settable dog operated by the reversing lever and adapted to be positioned for engagement by the pawl-operating means, and means for causing cooperation of the reversing lever and the pawl.

15. 111 a ribbon winding and reversing mechanism, the combination with a ribbon reel or spool, of a ratchet wheel for turning said reel or spool, a pawl adapted to engage the ratchet wheel, pawl-operatii'ig means, a reversing lover, ashifting dog, and a trip lever adapted for actuation when the ribbon is unwound from the reel and to set the dog for cooperation with the pawl-operating- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of iPatentl. Washington, D. G. 

